Talks continue

Many things are still “red” between blue and black

Kickl is under pressure to act.

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Negotiations on an FPÖ-ÖVP coalition are to continue on Friday with a meeting of the party leaders in a small circle. Recently, there have been major differences, above all over the division of portfolios. There was even radio silence for a while. Essential points are still in the red.

They are talking to each other again! As reported, the blue-black negotiations will continue on Friday. Only after the meeting between party leaders Herbert Kickl and Christian Stocker with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen did the FPÖ and ÖVP announce the resumption of talks on Thursday.

Once again, the parties did not want to announce when and where the negotiations would take place. It was also unclear whether anything would be communicated about the content afterwards. In any case, the aim of the meeting is to continue the coalition negotiations, according to the FPÖ.

Big chunks still to come
The Freedom Party had been given the task of forming a government and this task was now being continued. However, the thematic subgroups have essentially been completed and now the major issues need to be clarified.

In recent days, the negotiations seemed to be on the brink of collapse. The situation escalated on Tuesday when the FPÖ presented the ÖVP with a proposal for the division of portfolios, which the People's Party described as "unacceptable" because it did not correspond to the election results. The FPÖ had received 28.8 percent of the vote in September, the ÖVP 26.3 percent.

Kickl's "super chancellorship"
The ÖVP convened its party executive in response to the FPÖ's demand for the interior and finance portfolios as well as EU, media and cultural agendas. FPÖ leader Kickl followed up the next day on Facebook and once again emphasized the FPÖ's claim to the finance and interior ministries. The Freedom Party leader wants to create a "super chancellery", according to ÖVP circles.

The Black Party is said to have presented an alternative proposal in response, although this was denied by the FPÖ. It was only after his talks with the Federal President on Thursday that Kickl agreed with Stocker to continue the talks.

Key points on "red"
However, the allocation of posts was not the only open point in the negotiations. According to reports, key points in the subgroups have been set to "red", particularly those relating to foreign policy and the media, but also in some areas such as finance and taxes. These unresolved issues are to be dealt with by the chief negotiators, but no real progress has been made so far.

There is a crisis between the ÖVP and FPÖ.

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

There is still no movement from either side on the bank levy demanded by the Freedom Party. The black economic wing is also likely to oppose a financial contribution from the chambers to the budget restructuring.

There are also other points of contention such as the abolition of the ORF budget levy, which the FPÖ wants, the Sky Shield missile defense system and a common line on European policy.